


It's a Date

by BisexualSpies



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Language, First Dates, First Kiss, Gay Keith (Voltron), Idiots in Love, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Kissing, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Like It's Bad, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Rivalry, flirty keith, idk how to tag, kind of, seemingly unrequited, the fact that thats not a tag is so upsetting, they get stood up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25588156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BisexualSpies/pseuds/BisexualSpies
Summary: “My date stood me up as well. Do you want to hang out with me instead?”Woah.Lance had not been expecting that.Keith Kogane being stood up was hard enough to believe, but Keith Kogane wanting to spend his time with Lance? That basically translated to falsehood. There was no way Lance had heard him right. They hated each other after all. Right?They hated each other; Lance didn’t want to hang out with Keith. They were rivals. Neck and neck.ORLance and Keith both get stood up by their respective dates and decide to hang out together instead. One thing leads to the other and they realise some things... But it's not without a few childish fights and acts of ignorance.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 237





	It's a Date

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the fic!! I really enjoyed writing this one and I hope you enjoy it!!
> 
> I kind of had to rush through it a bit as I'm busy with assignments, so it's not edited and may not be that good, but nonetheless, I'm excited to post it.

Lance was excited. Like really, really excited. He had been pining after this girl for what’s felt like centuries, and finally, after months of serenading and dramatic confessions of love, she said yes. To a date, that is.

It’s nothing extraordinary like he had dreamed. He had wanted to flourish her with gifts and good food and everything out of those silly rom-coms he loved so much. 

But alas, Lance was but a poor college student and the best he could do for this first date was to go to the cinema. Which was definitely not romantic at all. He had plans to make it romantic though. 

You know... by reenacting all the cliches, like hands grazing whilst grabbing popcorn from their shared tub, or yawning dramatically to hide the fact that he’s putting his arm around her, or if things go extra well, stealing a kiss midway into the movie and being too distracted by one another’s lips to watch the rest.

He was going to make this not so romantic date into the ultimate dream for Nyma.

Lance had just arrived, both of them deciding that they would just meet up outside the cinema. The longer he waited the more nervous he got. It wasn’t like she was late or anything, Lance had gotten there a tad bit early after all, but it didn’t stop the nerves from setting in.

He really liked this girl and her bleached blonde hair and wide hips and almost snake-like eyes. She was intimidating and beautiful and everything Lance had ever wanted in a girl. She was a dream and he really didn’t want to mess this up.

He always messed things up with girls like her.

It was when he was checking his teeth for the fiftieth time in his phone screen that he saw him out of the corner of his eye. 

God, this guy just always has to show up and ruin everything huh? Lance thought.

There Keith was, mullet and all, leaning up against the wall of the cinema.

He looked like the bad boy from every movie he’d ever watched. All that was missing was a cigarette hanging from the seal of his lips.

There was no cigarette, but it certainly looked like he needed one by the way he was picking at his shirt and frowning down at the ground.

If Lance didn’t know any better, he would have thought Keith looked nervous, scared even. But no. There’s no way Keith - Mr. I-don’t-have-emotions - Kogane would ever be nervous. The guy was basically a robot. Or an alien, or something that was completely not human.

His presence did pique Lance’s interest though, and Nyma wasn’t there yet, so there was no harm in going over to investigate and maybe even make fun of Keith for that stupid, constipated look on his face. 

The other boy didn’t seem to have noticed Lance, not even when he was standing directly in front of him. It was amusing really, and kinda cu - Nope, not cute. Lance did not think he was cute.

It was amusing. Only amusing. Not cute. Never cute.

Lance coughed, startled from his train of thought, and it made Keith jump, breaking him out of his little daydream. Their eyes locked, Keith’s wide with embarrassment, and Lance’s slanted in amusement.

Keith’s face slowly took on his typical resting bitch face as he took in the boy in front of him, eyes scanning Lance up and down and making his skin crawl.

“Oh, I thought you were someone else.” Keith stated, eyes searching the area around them quickly before settling back to stare into Lance’s soul.

“I didn’t think you were the type to, you know, go anywhere fun.” Lance teased, desperately wanting to rile Keith up.

It was always so funny when Keith got irritated at him, especially with the way blood seemed to rush to his cheeks, painting his pale skin with a soft pink. It was even funnier when he would stutter through his words, not having a good enough comeback. Sometimes, he did have a good comeback though, and when he did, well, it was funny as hell. He always got this proud little smirk on his face every time he was able to come up with a retort. It was cu- Funny. It was funny.

Keith was funny. Keith’s face, that is. Nothing else.

“Go away Lance, I’m waiting for someone.” he had that agitated crease in his brow when he said it, but the way his face coloured and his face tilted away to hide it from Lance revealed that it was less agitation and more embarrassment.

“Didn’t realise you had any friends to spend your Friday night with.” Lance moved himself to lean one shoulder against the wall next to Keith, hands going into his pockets as he continued to tease. The red of Keith’s cheeks became even more vibrant.

Bingo. 

“Or, correct me if I’m mistaken, are you going on a date?”

Keith was redder than any shade of red Lance had ever seen. Dios he looks hotter than a furnace right now. In a totally temperature related sense of course. 

The lack of response Keith gave indicated that Lance had been correct in his assumption, and the way his heart stuttered in his chest definitely had nothing to do with the confirmation.

Just nerves for his date with Nyma, that's all.

“So…” leaning off the wall again, swaying from heel to toe, Lance took his place in front of Keith again. “Who’s the lucky gal?”

The question came out embarrassingly awkward, as though he cared that Keith was going on a date with someone else. Lance didn’t care, he just needed more ammunition. It seemed to capture Keith’s attention though, despite how quiet and awkward it had been said. His head was tilted, eyes scanning every part of Lance’s face, trying to see if he had been serious when asking that.

He mustn’t have deemed him serious though, because after a good thirty seconds of a disbelieving stare, he turned his head away again. He didn’t even bother answering Lance’s question. Rude. 

Lance’s eyes rolled to the back of his skull. “Well, if you’re gonna be like that, I’ll just go and wait for my date over there. After all she’ll be here soo-.” he stopped mid-sentence as he checked his watch. He didn’t realise how much time he’d spent over here with Keith.

Eyes scanning around the vacant street, he searched desperately for any sign of Nyma. Maybe she’d gone inside without him noticing or something. No, they said they would meet outside, why would she have gone inside? Maybe she got caught up in traffic and she texted him saying so but he hadn’t felt the buzz of his phone in his pocket. 

Keith was staring at him again as Lance snatched his phone out of his pocket. His shoulders sagged and his lips fell into a frown as he saw that he did in fact have a text from Nyma. Not the ‘hey I’m running a bit late, be there soon’ or even a ‘oops running late, leaving now’. The text was his nightmare, it absolutely ruined his mood. 

‘Something came up, can’t make it.’

That was it. No explanation. Not even an apology. 

Lance slotted his phone back into his pocket, mood severely decreased as he looked back to see Keith’s head tilted in concern.

“Looks like I won’t need to wait for my date anywhere since they’ve decided not to show.” Lance doesn’t really know why he told Keith that, he felt like he kind of deserved an explanation on why Lance suddenly looked like a kicked puppy.

“Oh - um - I’m sorry.” It was weirdly genuine, even with the stutters and the awkward questioning lilt. It was weirdly Keith and it made Lance turn his head away as he laughed - a short exhale from his nose and a tilt to one side of his lips kind of laugh. Lance always thought those were the best kinds of laughs. Small, genuine, quiet... Intimate.

His eyes dragged back up slowly to Keith’s face, a small smile painted across it, the lingering of concern still evident in the corners of his eyes. You would think Keith’s eyes could tell the future with the way they showed every single emotion despite how hidden away they were. 

His eyes were crystal balls - as weird as that sounds. 

They were late night road trips under the stars and secrets shared at 3am. They were so much and too much and Lance needed to look away before he got trapped. Before he got pulled into the past, the present, and the future that shone in Keith’s irises. Keith had places to be and people to see and another person to go on a date with. Lance was probably holding him up.

Some girl was probably waiting patiently for Lance to unglue himself from his place in front of her date, to leave. Keith was probably waiting for it as well. So, as much as he hated doing it and as much as he missed the view, he faced the floor instead.

“I’ll be going now.” He was halfway down the street before the words even fully left his mouth. He didn’t see Keith’s shocked face or the blush that had been decorated on his cheeks. He hadn’t noticed that there wasn’t a girl waiting, and that the two of them were the only ones there.

He didn’t notice the sound of feet smacking against asphalt or huffing breaths before a hand reached out and laced its fingers around his wrist. Lance turned in surprise, wrist falling from the hand. The hand that was attached to Keith.

Keith, who was currently knelt over, regaining his breath. Keith, who had just stopped Lance in the middle of the street. Keith, who had chased after Lance.

Why had he chased after Lance?

Keith’s composure came back to him, his chest still heaving slightly. Those crystal balls locked onto Lance’s once again. Lance almost missed what came out of the boys mouth with how distracted he was once again by the beauty of them.

“My date stood me up as well. Do you want to hang out with me instead?”

Woah.

Lance had not been expecting that.

Keith Kogane being stood up was hard enough to believe, but Keith Kogane wanting to spend his time with Lance? That basically translated to falsehood. There was no way Lance had heard him right. They hated each other after all. Right?

They hated each other; Lance didn’t want to hang out with Keith. They were rivals. Neck and neck. 

The way his heart had picked up when he turned to see Keith and the way a smile threatened to appear on his lips when Keith asked to hang out didn’t mean anything. Lance was just clinging on to anything after being stood up by the girl of his dreams.

But the way Keith was staring at him made all of those thoughts leave his head. The way he chewed on his lip as he awaited Lance’s response made all new types of thoughts enter Lance’s mind. Thoughts that, for some reason, felt familiar in his head. 

I wonder what Keith’s lips would feel like between my teeth and - Oh my God there’s no way he just thought that. What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck? Lance could practically feel his face explode in colour and he desperately hopes the darkness was hiding it from Keith’s prying eyes.

Lance definitely didn’t need any more embarrassment tonight. And he definitely didn’t need to hang out with his rival, which is why, to Keith’s proposal, Lance has to say, “Yes.”

Wait what? Fuck, he meant to say no. Why the fuck did he say yes. Fuck. He can’t take it back now, especially since Keith looks so taken back and happy by it. He’s looking at Lance like he had just been gifted a puppy or something. Lance couldn’t wipe that look off his face even if he wanted to.

He did want to, by the way. They were rivals after all.

“Cool, um, what do you want to do?” Keith was clasping his hands together as he swayed awkwardly, not meeting Lance’s eye for what seems like the first time in forever. It makes Lance miss the way the light reflected off of them, replicating the night sky he loved so much.

Lance didn’t know how to reply. Where do you take your rival after the two of you have just been stood up? 

“There’s this pretty cool ice-cream parlour just ‘round the corner?” Lance hated the way it sounded like a question, but he stood with his shoulders back and head held high as he said it, imitating the confidence his words lacked.

Keith laughed, like Lance had said something funny. Did he say something funny? Shit did he have something on his face? Keith’s head shook, almost like he was answering Lance’s inner monologue.

“I’m lactose intolerant, but sure.” he nodded, a wide, exuberant smile overtaking his face and wrinkling the corners of his eyes. And Lance thought Keith’s eyes were mesmerising, Jesus.

“We don’t have to, don’t want you shitting yourself or anything.” The teasing was back in action, finally something Lance could work with. He knew how to tease Keith, knew all the right buttons to push to get the exact reactions he was yearning for. Not that he was yearning or desperate for Keith to react to him or anything. 

Keith shook his head in bewilderment, that damn smile never leaving. Not even for a second. “I’ll be fine Lance, let’s go.”

They walked down the path in silence. Usually Lance would have felt weird just allowing silence to linger, but with Keith it was different. This quiet, save for their footfall against the path and Lance’s heartbeat in his skull, was nice. It was comfortable, and if Lance’s eyes trailed over to Keith’s face a few too many times no one needed to know. No one was around to judge him for it, and Keith didn’t seem to notice the continuous glances being sent his way.

The boy just continued to stare up at the sky above him as he walked, looking almost enthralled by the dust of glitter across the black of the sky. A small upturn of his lips had replaced the big toothy grin. Lance couldn’t decide whether he missed it or not. Lance doesn’t remember any other time where Keith has looked so… so… soft? His features are so relaxed. There’s no crease between his brows or a downwards curve to his pouty lips.

Almost like he trusts Lance. This Keith, without the hardshell and frigid demeanor, seems like a secret. Lance doesn’t think he’s worthy enough for it if it is a secret. 

But he promises that he’ll keep it forever. He wants to keep Keith forever. 

The implications of that thought are pretty obvious. Lance knows, deep deep down, what he wants. But he doesn’t know all at the same time.

The pastel pink of the parlour comes into view slowly, fairy lights twinkling above the tables and chairs outside the shop. Lance had forgotten how romantic this place could be. 

The two of them walked in, Keith even holding the door open for Lance as they entered, like a true gentleman. Keith was scanning over all the flavours while Lance just watched as Keith’s eyebrows crinkled in the most adorable way when he was focusing on something.

The fact that he focused so hard on ice-cream flavours was cute as is, even if the crinkle wasn’t present.

“Do you know what flavour you want? I’ll get the ice-creams while you grab us a table outside.” Lance asked, pulling out his wallet.

“Um…” Keith bit his lip. “Surprise me.” those eyes were on him again. There was so much going on in them, Lance couldn’t determine what there was swimming through them. Maybe a hint of mischief? It was too difficult to discern, especially with how quickly Keith turned and sauntered outside to do what Lance had told him to. Lance couldn’t help but watch him as he walked away. He was pulled away from staring by a cough behind the counter.

Allura, a smirk very evident on her face that Lance chose to ignore to instead give his and Keith’s surprise order, was there.

“Keith huh? How’d that happen?” Allura was enjoying this. It was obvious in the way her mouth curved and her eyebrow rose. Lance rolled his eyes.

“It’s not what you think.” all he got in return was a disbelieving hum and two cones. 

Keith was staring up at the sky, or maybe the fairy lights, when Lance exited the shop. His neck was elongated, showing off a perfectly pale throat and sharp collarbones. Lance wasn’t going to be able to survive much longer.

“Surprise.” Lance greeted, handing Keith his cone. The boy took it gratefully with a soft smile playing at the edges of his lips. His eyes soon dropped to the cone now in his hand and his head tilted in confusion, that smile now playing across his whole face instead of just the edges.

“Are you going to make me regret letting you pick this?” Keith laughed. To be fair, Coran’s Parlour is known for its weird and wacky flavours. Hell, Keith probably saw all the crazy cones in there and still he let Lance decide for him. That felt… amazing.

“Just try it.” Lance said, pushing Keith’s cone closer to his face, almost forcing the cream to smudge against his nose. Keith reeled back and rolled his eyes before bringing to his lips, giving it a small kitten lick. His head tilted as he took in the flavour, eyebrows scrunched in that cute, focused way again. “How is it?” 

“Actually… Not too bad. I’m impressed, loverboy.” Keith purred, a giggle escaping at the last second. Lance was a dead man. That’s it, his last moments were going to be outside an ice-cream parlour with dulce de leche melting down his hand and the prettiest boy sitting in front of him. The prettiest boy who just called him loverboy. Loverboy. He purred it.

“You act like you were expecting me to disappoint, mullet.” Lance leaned forward, resting his chin in his free hand, elbow supporting him on the table. Keith imitated the position, their faces only a breath apart. The next few sentences were practically whispered into each other's mouths.

“You gonna tell me what this is or are you planning on leaving me hanging?” Keith mused, eyes dropping for a half a second before going back to stare into Lances eyes.

“Well, there’s no fun in outright telling you is there sweetheart.” He swore he didn’t mean for the pet name to slip out, he was just so caught up in the moment. Caught up in the reflection of light in Keith’s eyes, and the whispered words, and the way he could almost taste Keith’s ice-cream on his own tongue whenever he so much as breathed. Everything about this was screaming affection and love and pet names.

Lance, although embarrassed by the mess up, did not regret saying it though. Not with the way Keith’s eyes became comically wide and how the red that usually painted only his cheeks spread all the way to his ears and down his neck. It was totally worth the momentary embarrassment. 

Keith leant away, and air seemed to cascade into Lance’s lungs at the departure. He hadn’t even realised he had been holding his breath until that moment. The things this boy did to him.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” The words were rushed leaving Keith’s lips, so rushed that Lance barely understood what he had said. Thankfully, his experience with his family talking over each other every two seconds has made it very easy for him to understand what is basically gibberish. 

Keith looked so nervous in that moment. Probably from Lance accidentally calling him sweetheart as well as the fear that Lance will reject this walk. As if Lance would ever do that.

“I’d love to.” Lance replied, standing from his seat to reassure Keith and calm his nerves a little bit. Keith followed him up and led the way, apparently having a place in mind for the two of them to walk to. Determination was set in every part of his face, fire in his eyes and his mouth set in a hard line. This was the Keith he was used to. 

Fire and tenacity and that overwhelming vigour in his every move. That was Keith. But the soft smiles and playful eyes were as well. 

Lance had just never seen it before, whether it was because Keith didn’t allow him to, or Lance was blind to any sweetness Keith portrayed, too obsessed with their self made contention. At least now he’s been given the chance to see it, to have Keith here opening up and being vulnerable. Even if it’s only the slightest bit of vulnerability. 

Lance never thought he’d be happy about getting stood up by Nyma. The boy one step ahead of him had him changing his mind so quickly though. Who would have thought Lance was this blinded by competitiveness that he would completely miss that the girl of his dreams had been right in front of him the entire time. 

It wasn’t Nyma. Hell, it wasn’t even a girl. 

Keith was his dream. He had been since their first meeting. Lance remembers seeing him for the first time. He had thought he was beautiful. He is beautiful. That had escaped his mind however as soon as Keith had brushed him off. Lance thought he knew Keith from that short meeting. God, was he wrong. So, so, so wrong. 

Keith was so much more than he ever could have imagined. He’s so much, Lance knows he’ll never be able to see all of the parts of him. But that’s ok, as long as he’s allowed to see as much as is possible. 

Their ice-creams were long gone and replaced with nothing but air. The way Lance wanted to grab his hand had never been so prominent.

“We’re here.” Keith’s voice startled him out of his reverie, echoing around what Lance has now noticed to be an empty park.

Maybe an aspect of Keith’s ‘so much’ is that he’s a murderer and Lance is about to get ruthlessly stabbed in the back. Both literally and metaphorically.

It would really suck to realise your feelings for someone only for them to kill you five minutes later. Let’s just hope Keith isn’t a murderer. 

“My parents used to take me here all the time when I was little, it’s always been a safe space for me.”

Lance didn’t know much about Keith, but he could tell that this was important, and that Keith wouldn’t just tell him for the purpose of telling him. Keith trusts him. He trusts him a lot more than Lance had ever even realised.

“Thanks for trusting me with it.” He replied, voice soft as he stared at the side of Keith’s head. Lance couldn’t tell if he was imagining it, or that his overwhelming realisation about his feelings for Keith caused him to go insane, but he could have sworn that there was a glossy shimmer in Keith’s eyes.

It was only there for a half of a second before Keith appeared to blink back the tears. 

Lance must have been right when he assumed that Keith bringing him here meant something. He didn’t know exactly what, he just knew that he meant something to Keith, that Keith trusted him. And he wasn’t about to break that trust.

Slowly, scared that even the slightest touch would cause him to startle, Lance reached his hand out for Keith’s own, barely touching. It was only a tap of his pinky finger against the outside of Keith’s hand. 

Nothing but something all at once.

Keith recognised it as something.

Lance knew Keith recognised it as something by the way he reached back for Lance.

Their pinkies were linked together, as though they were promising something. Technically, they kind of were. They were promising each other trust. Promising reliability. Promising that no matter what, they’ll always understand and they’ll always be there for each other.

All of that. All of the promises that have been lingering just under the surface, waiting to finally be made, have emerged. They’ve emerged with nothing but the locking of pinkies. No unnecessary words spoken. The quiet and small contact said enough. It said everything.

To them it did.

They stayed out only a little while longer, the cold air beginning to make their bones shake and their teeth rattle.

The walk back to the cinema parking lot was nice. Their pinky fingers were still laced together as they walked down the street, and Lance was desperate to reach just a little bit further and link his whole hand in Keith’s. He pussied out every single time though, he knew that Keith wasn’t the most affectionate of people, and he didn’t want to do anything that could make him uncomfortable.

He would take it slow. Let Keith pick the pace.

They arrived at Keith’s car first, pulling their fingers away to awkwardly stare at each other before the infamous parting. 

Keith looked shy under the moonlight, his bangs appearing to dangle further down his face then usual, as if he were using them as coverage to hide from Lance’s prying eyes. It was cute.

Yes, Lance admits, Keith is cute.

Keith is really cute. 

Especially when he stands on his toes to press his lips against Lance’s slowly reddening cheek. When he pulled back, Lance took note of the matching colour adorning Keith’s own cheeks. 

The blushing boy in front of him quickly turned on his heels and clambered into his car, driving away into the night.

Lance could still feel the tingling against his cheek, a phantom kiss that wouldn’t go away.

It was still there that night when he went to bed, and when he awoke the next morning. 

Lance felt like screaming from the rooftops as he recollected on the night.

_

Keith felt like screaming.

That night was still haunting him at every moment.

It was a week ago and the two so-called rivals haven’t interacted since. Keith’s terrified. He revealed too much to Lance too soon. Although, he really didn’t say all that much.

Lance is smart though. Lance understood everything Keith had been saying without even saying it.

That’s what’s making this even more difficult. Keith knows that ignoring Lance and ignoring what they had - what they have - is stupid and childish, but he can’t help it. He really likes Lance and he’s not used to really liking people. He’s used to pushing people away and losing the few he lets in. 

He doesn’t want to lose Lance just like he lost everyone else who held some semblance of importance in life.

Shiro. Mum. Dad. All gone. Just like that.

The exact same thing could happen with Lance; the world could take him from Keith. Or worse, Lance could willingly choose to abandon him. Lance is a good person though. He would promise over and over and over again that he’d never leave. Keith would believe him, except people don’t know what’s going to happen.

People can’t just promise that they’ll stay.

The world is fucked like that.

There’s no way of telling what’s going to happen or what’s going to change. Either someone will stay with you forever or they’ll leave you in the dust, even if it wasn’t the plan. Even if they didn’t want to. 

Looking at Keith’s track record, anyone could guess what was going to happen with Lance.

Keith wasn’t lucky enough to have someone so courageous and selfless and jovial and exuberant and any and every word you could think of. Lance is everything.

Lance is the sun shimmering off the ocean in the morning. Lance is that sip of water you take just after waking up. Lance is fuzzy socks and lion slippers. Lance is a summer breeze and a snowball fight and dandelions blowing in the wind and the crunch of Autumn leaves as children play and jump around.

Lance is every single thing. Contradictions and all. Lance is Lance.

Lance is special and Keith can’t risk losing that. It’s just too bad that the only way he knows how to not lose it is by staying away - not allowing him to ever be Keith’s in the first place.

Everyone knows you can’t lose something if it was never yours to begin with.

_

If Lance didn’t know any better he might have thought he was a magnet for people who liked standing him up. It had been a week since Keith and Lance's “not-a-date” date, and the two of them have yet to speak to each other since.

And of course, it could just be bad luck that they hadn’t seen each other around, that Keith was anticipating their next meeting just as much as Lance has been, that their schedules just weren’t that well synced.

But that’s the thing, Lance knows Keith. He’s spent every second since they met analysing his every move. He knows what classes they share and which coffee shop Keith prefers. He even knows all the paths Keith takes from class to class. Some may call it obsession, Lance called it keeping your enemies closer.

It had come in handy after all, even if he and Keith weren’t really enemies anymore. I mean, how could they be when the feeling of Keith’s lips were still lingering against Lance’s skin. They weren’t enemies, but Lance swears to God that if Keith doesn’t stop ignoring him, they’ll be worse than enemies.

“So basically what you’re saying is that you’re in love with Keith?” Hunk teases, head tilted towards Lance, hand momentarily stilling its stirring. Lance had just gone on a tirade about how inconsiderate Keith was and how Keith was dumb and ignoring him. The fact that he may have gotten distracted by talking about the light in his eyes and the chapped yet perfect feel of his lips is completely unimportant.

He needs moral support right now, not Hunk bullying him for unknowingly having a crush on his longtime rival.

“How could I ever be in love with someone who’s that much of a dickhead? I mean-” Lance threw his arms in the air to gesture his annoyance. “-who even does something like that?”

Lance’s arms fell from where they were thrown into the air to instead take residence across his chest in the shape of a cross. There was a pout eagerly trying to form against his lips but he didn’t allow it, there was no reason to pout over this.

It’s just Keith, the most beautiful, smart, socially-inept person in the entire world who - for some unknown reason - makes Lance’s heart pound ten times faster than usual. Even if he does have that weird 80’s haircut. So yeah… No reason to pout.

Lance was just… Tired.

He thought that maybe he had finally found his person and that all the games had stopped. He didn’t realise Keith was the ultimate gamer of all time.

One minute Keith’s yelling in his face, the next he’s giving him soft smiles, the next he’s teasing, the next he’s lacing pinkies. And what’s he doing this minute? 

Playing games.

That’s what he’s doing. He led Lance on last night just to ignore him afterwards and run from Lance whenever he so much as saw him from across the room. He’d even been ditching the classes that the two of them shared, which made Lance feel as peachy keen as peachy keen can be. Sike. It made him feel like shit.

“Dude, you’ve said so yourself that he’s, how did you put it? Socially constipated?” he took a moment to chuckle slightly before continuing. “ Maybe he just feels awkward.” Hunk did have a point. 

A point that Lance is choosing to ignore because he’s angry and sad right now and as much as he likes Keith, the dickhead deserves a bit of revenge.

Which is why Lance has decided to join Keith in this little game of ignoring one another. Lance will show Keith what true disregard looks like.

_

The plan was ago. There Lance was, sitting and waiting in Keith’s favourite little coffee shop, hoping that the boy will walk through the doors so Lance can intentionally make eye contact and leave at the sight of the boy.

Some may say it was a bit extra, maybe kind of mean depending on who you ask, but it was worth it. Keith deserved a taste of his own medicine. Hopefully it tastes like that gross medicine and isn’t some fruity children’s medicine or something.

Lance hadn’t been sitting for too long, his black coffee heating up his hands where it was held in his grip, when the man who hadn’t left his mind all week walked in. The mullet was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a crewneck sweater just slightly too big, exposing his collarbones and way too much shoulder for Lance’s poor heart. It didn’t help that the asshole had his hair tied up, small wisps decorating his forehead and pale neck.

This ignoring this was going to be a lot more difficult than he had originally thought. He won’t give up though, he never does. 

Lance continued to stare, both because he thought Keith looked adorable and couldn’t pull his eyes away, and because he was hoping Keith would feel the eyes piercing through him and look in Lance’s direction. That way, the plan can finally be enacted.

Inevitably, Keith felt the eyes on him and turned his head to find out if he was going crazy or if there really was someone watching him. His eyes traced around the room, looking for any sign of eyes on him, until those violet orbs finally settled on Lance’s own cerulean ones. The way his eyes widened comically would and his mouth dropped open would have been funny if Lance didn’t hate the guy so much. Yes, he hates him, that’s why he’s so upset about the dickhead pretending he doesn’t exist.

Promptly, Lance stood from his seat, picking up his coffee as he went. As he walked to the exit he made sure not to break eye contact and even bump Keith’s shoulder as went by.

A small smirk was plastered on his face after he exited, proud of himself for that counterattack, especially since it worked even better than he thought it would. The look on Keith’s face was bloody hilarious, Lance will never be able to get the image out of his head.

_

The next time Lance saw Keith was a few days later in the campus library. He had been studying some astronomy shit that was very urgent and very important - but obviously not too important since it disappeared as soon as he saw the zuko-imposter.

Keith had his back to Lance, scanning the shelves. Lance obviously couldn’t see the guys face, and as disappointing as that was, it gave him (a great view of Keith’s ass) time to think up how he was going to go about “ignoring” him this time.

Lance quickly thought up a plan. He was going to have a lot of fun with this one.

He closed his textbook and traipsed his way to stand directly behind Keith without touching him. He didn’t want Keith to know of his presence just yet.

Lance reached his arm out to grab a book from over Keith’s shoulders. It made the man in front of him freeze up, his shoulders rising and knocking with Lance’s arm. Before pulling the book away, Lance leaned down to whisper into Keith’s ear.

“Don’t mind me.”

Unimportant book in hand, he heaved himself away, giving Keith the space to rethink his entire existence. And hopefully rethink his choice to ignore Lance.

Lance was feeling on top of the world right now. The reactions that he was able to pull out of Keith were absolutely picturesque in every sense of the word. Lance had never felt smarter in his life, this little idea of his was amazing.

He would never regret this.

_

Fuck Keith. Fuck Keith sideways, upside down and all the ways imaginable. Fuck. Him.

Lance felt like he was on the cusp of death.

You see, initially when Pidge had brought up movie night he had been ecstatic. Him and his two best friends vibing together, eating a combination of Hunk’s delicious food and an unhealthy amount of snacks, while they watched movies together? Fucking superb in every way.

What Pidge seemed to forget to mention however, was that it wasn’t just going to be the three of them. She had invited a few of her friends along. Now, Lance didn’t have a problem with that. 

Pidge’s friends were fucking awesome. Shiro and Adam? Superb human beings. However, it was the fact that apparently Keith was one of Pidge’s friends. And apparently, he’s been one of her friends since “like forever” (her own words). Which basically means that every time Lance has brought Keith up and ranted about his stupid hair and stupid face and stupidly pretty eyes, he had been talking about Pidge’s best friend.

Which was embarrassing. What if she transposed all the slimy details from Lance’s gossip sesh’s to him? To be fair, he hadn’t gotten around to ranting about their “not-a-date” date to her yet, so she doesn’t know anything about that, and therefore had no bad intentions by inviting him. But still… 

It was embarrassing! Especially with Keith squeezed into his side like this. Lance had to put his arm on the back of the couch (behind Keith’s mulleted head) just to limit their points of contact and also make it somewhat comfortable.

Lance, Keith, Hunk and Pidge were sitting pressed together on the couch while Shiro and Adam sat on the floor in front of them. The lights were off and the tv was playing. Lance had been so excited to watch it, but now he can’t even remember what movie it was. He isn’t even watching it.

He’s far too distracted by Keith’s side pressed against his own and the tickling of his hair against the bare skin of Lance’s bicep. It was excruciatingly perfect in a completely non-homosexual way that Lance definitely despised and did not at all love.

This whole thing just gets so much better by Keith now suddenly tilting his head to rest against Lance’s shoulder. There’s a small smirk plastered on the other’s face when Lance looks down to confirm whether or not he was imaging this act of domesticity. 

That fucker knew exactly what he was doing. Fuck Keith. Not literally of course, Lance would never - NEVER - want to do that. Never ever.

Lance was terrified that Keith would be able to not only hear, but feel, his heart beating at an astronomical pace in his chest. Maybe it would deter him from resting against Lance like this, or maybe it’ll show Keith just how Lance felt about him.

How despite Keith ignoring him, and despite Lance doing the exact same thing just with an added spice, the boy resting against him still turned Lance’s heart into a beating mess. And that despite all the shit that’s gone on with them, Lance is in love with.

Lance is undeniably in love with every single part of Keith.

He’s in love with his eyes and his smile. He’s in love with his dimples and the way he throws his head back as he laughs. He loves the crinkle by his eye and his snarky retorts. He loves his competitiveness and his awkwardness. He even loves him when he’s ignoring him.

Which sucks, because that’s probably Keith’s way of telling him that “hey, that night was a mistake and I don’t like you”. But Lance wouldn’t change a thing. He’s in love with Keith and he’s in love with being in love with Keith.

Maybe, the way to get Keith to stop pushing him away wasn’t to ignore him, or goad him, or whisper into his ear in the middle of the library. Maybe, all he had to do was talk to him. Tell him how he feels.

Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. 

Lance’s head piqued up in excitement at the thought, drawing the attention of the one and only mullet. Their eyes met, the blue glow of the tv swirling within Keith’s eyes and drawing Lance in. He felt like he was underwater, the voices on the tv vanishing to an idle hum just at the sight of Keith’s eyes on him.

Lance wasn’t being ignored anymore. At least not for tonight.

He’ll make sure it won’t just be tonight. But forever. Keith’s eyes will always be on him.

Just like they were right now, still staring. So, so wide. It was endearing, the way his eyes always seemed to widen when their eyes would meet, as though he hadn’t expected Lance to be looking. 

Like he had looked at Lance just for the sake of seeing him.

The movie finally finished, Lance didn’t remember a thing. Pidge and Hunk were knocked out and leaning against one another, and Shiro and Adam had left. Keith had stayed.

Keith had stayed despite their offering to drop him home, and despite the fact that his friend was asleep.

He stayed. For… Lance? Lance needed to know.

“Why’d you stay?” it was whispered into the quiet atmosphere, he didn’t want to break the tension just as much as he didn’t want to wake his two friends up. They needed some extra hours of sleep, especially Pidge.

Keith wasn’t looking at him anymore, trying to look focused on the way he was playing with his own fingertips. It wasn’t fooling Lance. “Well? Are you going to tell me why you’ve been treating me like the gum on the bottom of your shoe for the last however many days?”

Lance was getting angry now, evident in the way his voice raised slightly. It jostled a sleeping Pidge, but she didn’t wake. He’ll have to be careful about his octave level.

But at least Keith was looking at him again. Confusion was all over the boy's face. There’s no way he’s legitimately confused right now. He knew what he was doing.

“Why do you have to phrase it like that?” Keith asked, hurt lingering in his eyes and the stutter of his voice.

“Oh, my apologies, here let me rephrase. Why have you been ignoring me? Why do you run away whenever you see me in the halls? Why do you act like my existence is a burden to you?” The next words hurt to get out. “Why do you regret that night?”

He could feel the strain in his throat and burning of his eyes, but he refused to cry like this in front of Keith. He needed to stay strong. At least until he inevitably left him again.

“You’re wrong.” Keith’s voice was hectic. It sounded like what Lance imagined a hurricane would sound like if it could speak. Lance didn’t focus on that for too long though, because the words that had just come out of Keith’s mouth were bullshit.

Who was he to say that Lance was wrong? There was no way Lance had interpreted this wrong. Keith was ignoring him. And now Keith was trying to deny it. 

Wow.

Lance knew he was a dick. He didn’t think he was that much of a dick though.

“Explain it to me then. If you weren’t ignoring me, what were you doing? I’d really like to know.” The words came out harsher then he had meant them too, evident in the way Keith’s already wide eyes widened. 

Looks like he was just as surprised as Lance was at his tone.

“I was…” Here it comes, the inevitable lie. “Protecting myself.”

See. A lie. Protecting himself? Suuure.

Wait. Did Keith just say he was protecting himself? From what? Lance wasn’t going to hurt him. Why did he need to protect himself?

There must have been a flurry of emotions taking over Lance’s face in that moment. He could feel each one under his skin: anger, betrayal, sadness, confusion. Everything.

“W-what?” Lance hated the way it stuttered out in a mangled breath.

Keith looked sad. At least, that’s what Lance thought he saw before Keith was turning his head away and hiding his face behind dark locks.

“Keith, please.”

A swallow and a shaky breath and eyes back on him.

“I’m so used to everyone leaving me and I knew that if you were to ever leave me I wouldn’t be able to recover. So, I guess I pushed you away before you could reject me yourself.”

Oh. Lance felt like a dick.

“I would never leave you Keith… I promise.” Keith’s eyes softened, but sadness was still pulled taut over his expression.

“Promises don’t really mean anything to me anymore Lance. Everyone that left promised me the same thing.” 

Lance knew he wouldn’t break this promise. He knew that promises meant so much and he knew that Keith was aching. He knew he needed Keith to believe him.

“If you won’t let me promise, then let me show you.” Lance’s hands reached out and held Keith’s own. They were cold. “I can assure you that I would hate myself way too much if I were to ever leave you.”

Lance watched as Keith swallowed, his eyes glancing away as if contemplating what he should say, before returning full force onto Lance again.

He didn’t say anything though. He just stared, with that fire in his eyes that only really appeared when he was determined to do something. That fire, it signified bravery and courage. Why did he need that right now?

The fire was surging forward quicker then Lance could react, icy lips meeting his own in an aggressive press. The fire-ice combo was strange, but so very Keith. It was making Lance melt.

Melt into the kiss.

Lance brought a hand to Keith’s jaw, tracing back further to tangle his fingers in that monstrosity of a haircut. He hadn’t realised how long he’d wanted to do this until now.

Keith’s hands were on Lance’s shoulders, pushing himself up, chasing after the dream of Lance’s kisses. 

Lance was used to not feeling sparks while kissing people, having long-outgrown his unrealistic fantasy of what love was. But, woah. The feeling of Keith’s mouth on his was electrifying.

It was real and perfect and slightly crooked and their lips were both slightly chapped but the small sighs leaving Keith’s mouth made up for it. The way Keith whined and pushed forward when Lance pulled away made up for it.

Keith was still trying to get Lance to keep kissing him, and Lance couldn’t help it when a loud burst of laughter spilled from his mouth. He had to slap his hand over his lips to stop the noise from waking Hunk and Pidge up.

Keith was pouting and his hands had dropped from Lance’s shoulders. Lance almost wanted to pull him back in, but he didn’t. He needed to know what that meant.

“Slow down, mullet. We have time.” Keith’s pout dropped, a small smile turning slowly in a breathtaking, toothy grin, so wide dimples appeared on his cheeks. Lance’s heart wasn’t going to survive.

“I want you to show me.” Keith whispered, thumb coming up to rub back and forth against Lance’s cheek. “I want to believe in promises again.”

The air from Lance’s lungs was gone, forced out of him at those words. Keith, as socially awkward as he was, knew the exact words to say to make Lance lose his breath and die over and over again.

“Don’t say that tutti frutti, I might just have to kiss you again.” Lance grinned, his head tilting endearingly at the other boy.

Keith’s head mimicked the tilt, but his was out of confusion. 

“Tutti frutti?”

“That was the ice cream I got you. I think it’s a cute nickname as well, don’t you?” Lance could tell by the pout of his lips that Keith didn’t agree.

“The fact that I actually prefer mullet says a lot.” Another laugh broke from Lance’s throat and this time he couldn’t shut himself up quick enough. Pidge woke from her slumber and threw a pillow at his head. Ouch.

“Shut up lovebirds, I’m trying to sleep.”

Keith and Lance started at each other, trying desperately to keep their chucked subdued. It was difficult, but they were able to do it.

They were able to remain quiet as they stood from the couch and flopped together down onto Lance’s bed. They remained quiet while they stared at one another and they remained as quiet as possible when their lips smashed together for the second time that night.

And Lance knew. He knew that this promise would be the easiest to keep.

Keith knew that too.

**Author's Note:**

> YAY!!! THEY KISSED!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!!
> 
> Kudos, comments, and shares are much appreciated! Thanks for reading!


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